Protecting Africa’s Children on the Road: Key Takeaways from the Safe Journeys to School Webinar

May 21, 2026 Road Safety Events

 

On April 17, 2026, the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA), in collaboration with the Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP), commemorated World Public Transport Day with a high-level webinar titled Safe Journeys to School: Protecting Africa’s Future through Safer Mobility. The virtual session convened road safety leaders, transport professionals, development partners, civil society organizations, and the public from across Africa to examine the urgent need to improve child road safety and create safer school journeys in Africa. 

Held against the backdrop of rising urbanization, increased motorization, and persistent risks faced by children on African roads, the webinar served as both a knowledge-sharing platform and a call to action, highlighting how infrastructure, policy, speed management, enforcement, and community engagement must work together to protect children on their daily journeys to and from school.

Protecting Children Through Safer Mobility Systems

The webinar explored the broader reality that for millions of African children, the journey to school remains one of the most dangerous parts of the day. Discussions highlighted how unsafe road environments, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, inappropriate speeds around schools, poorly regulated transport systems, and weak enforcement continue to expose children to preventable injuries and fatalities.

Participants reflected on the fact that child road safety is not only a transport issue, but also a public health, equity, and development concern. The conversation emphasized that improving school mobility directly contributes to better educational outcomes, healthier communities, and more inclusive cities.

Throughout the session, speakers stressed the importance of designing transport systems and its infrastructure around the needs of vulnerable road users, particularly children, rather than expecting children to adapt to unsafe environments. The recurring message was clear: safer journeys to school require systemic action, long-term investment, and strong institutional leadership.

From Data to Action: Understanding the State of Child Road Safety

The webinar opened with a presentation by Marisela Ponce de Leon Valdes, Senior Transport Specialist and SSATP Road Safety Pillar Lead, on the current state of child road safety in Africa, drawing attention to the disproportionate risks children face on their daily journeys to school. Marisela highlighted the need for stronger data systems and the active use of different assessment tools to better identify high-risk environments, guide investments, and strengthen accountability. She shared that SSATP will soon release a regional practical toolkit on this.

Discussions underscored that many school environments across Africa still lack basic safety features such as sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, traffic calming measures, signage, and speed management interventions. Participants noted that these gaps are particularly severe in rapidly growing urban and peri-urban areas where infrastructure development has not kept pace with population growth.

The session also explored the role of formal and informal public transport systems in school mobility, emphasizing the need for stronger safety standards, training, regulation, and community engagement to improve child safety outcomes.

Designing Safe School Zones and Child-Friendly Streets

A major focus of the discussion centered on practical approaches to designing safer school environments. “Designing Safe School Zones: Traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, signage,” presented by Nathalie Chiavassa, iRAP Lead Consultant Safer Journeys Africa. The speaker shared evidence-based strategies including traffic calming measures, raised pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, reduced speed zones, safe pick-up and drop-off areas, and child-friendly street design principles. 

The case of Uganda's 2025 National Guide for Establishment of Safe School Zones was presented by Winstone Katushabe, Commissioner Transport Regulation and Safety, Uganda. It was highlighted as an important example of how countries can institutionalize safe school mobility within national road safety frameworks. The discussion demonstrated how policy guidance, when combined with local implementation and stakeholder coordination, can support scalable and sustainable interventions. 

Speakers also shared practical experiences from across Africa, illustrating how local governments, schools, communities, and road safety agencies are already implementing solutions to improve safety around schools. These examples reinforced the importance of adapting interventions to local contexts while keeping safety standards and evidence-based interventions.

The Importance of Multi-Sectoral Collaboration

A strong theme throughout the webinar was the need for coordinated action across sectors. Participants emphasized that child road safety cannot be addressed by road safety agencies alone, but requires collaboration between ministries responsible for transport, education, health, urban planning, law enforcement, local governments and the community.

The discussions highlighted the role of schools, parents, community leaders, and civil society organizations in identifying risk areas, sharing mobility patterns while shaping safer behaviours and endorsing and advocating for safer environments. Speakers noted that sustainable improvements in child road safety depend not only on infrastructure and policy, but also on public awareness, behavioural change, and community ownership.

The webinar further underscored the value of partnerships between governments, development partners, donors, and the private sector in mobilizing technical expertise and financing for safe school infrastructure and mobility initiatives. 

From Commitment to Implementation

The session recorded strong participation and engagement, reflecting growing continental interest in advancing child road safety and safer mobility systems. With over 320 registrations and 180 live participants, the webinar provided an active platform for dialogue, experience sharing, and peer learning among stakeholders from different regions and sectors.

The discussion reinforced the need to move beyond isolated interventions toward integrated and institutionalized approaches that place child safety at the center of transport and urban development planning. Participants agreed that scaling successful initiatives across African countries will require stronger political commitment, sustainable financing mechanisms, improved data systems, and continued knowledge exchange.

Five major takeaways emerged from the webinar:

  1. Prioritize child road safety in policy frameworks: Integrate safe school mobility into national transport, road safety, and urban development strategies. 
  2. Invest in safer infrastructure: Expand sidewalks, crossings, traffic calming measures, signage, and child-friendly street designs around schools. 
  3. Strengthen collaboration across sectors: Promote coordinated action between road safety entities, transport, education, health, enforcement agencies, and communities. 
  4. Improve data and evidence systems: Strengthen data collection and analysis to guide interventions and monitor impact. 
  5. Promote community engagement and behavioral change: Empower schools, parents, and local communities to endorse safer road use practices and advocate for safer environments. 

Moving Forward: Building Safer Futures for Africa’s Children

By bringing together policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and development partners, the webinar helped strengthen momentum toward safer, more inclusive, and child-centered mobility systems across Africa. The discussions reinforced the understanding that protecting children on their journeys to school is fundamental to protecting Africa’s future.

AARSLA and SSATP extend their appreciation to all speakers, participants, and partners who contributed to the success of the session and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing safer mobility initiatives across the continent. The outcomes of the webinar will continue to inform ongoing policy advocacy, partnership development, and efforts to scale effective interventions that safeguard children and create safer roads for all.

 

Webinar Materials & Presentations

 

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